D214 to focus on tech, teachers to help underachieving students

Plans required for schools not meeting adequate yearly progress

January 24, 2013|By Elizabeth Owens-Schiele | Special to the Tribune

District 214 approved a plan for students who didn't make adquate yearly progress. (Sally Ho, Chicago Tribune)

More technology in the classroom and increased sharing of best practices among teachers are the cornerstone of Township High School District 214's improvement plans for underachieving students during the next two years.

The plans, required for schools that do not make adequate yearly progress set by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, were approved by the District 214 board of education last week and now will be submitted to the state for review.

Included in the plans are such programs as homework clubs, literacy labs for help with reading and writing and access to college-level classes and extra support in English for non-native speakers. Teachers will coordinate learning across content areas for some students, provide better student analysis and be trained in using digital tools. The plans also recommend parental involvement strategies and activities to ensure success.

"I'm happy with our student achievement," said Rosemary Gonzalez-Pinnick, associate superintendent of educational services. "Our goal is to enhance students' skills and move them diagonally so they are college-ready when they leave our doors."

None of the district's six traditional high schools achieved adequate yearly progress as set by the federal act. But all — which include Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High School, Prospect High School, Rolling Meadows High School and Wheeling High School — exceed the state's ACT Assessment Composite score of 20.6.

Average yearly progress was measured in reading and mathematics, and not all of the student groups met the marks. Those designated underachieving were Hispanics, students with disabilities and the economically disadvantaged.

The district has 12,300 students, 23 percent of whom are considered low-income, according to a state report card released last fall. The lowest-performing school was Wheeling, where 56.8 percent of the students met or exceeded the standard. The best performing school was John Hersey, where 80.4 percent met or exceeded the mark.

Statewide results show 82 percent of districts and 66 percent of schools failed. Only 11 Illinois high schools made adequate progress last year, and of those, six were selective admissions, Gonzalez-Pinnick said. The only area high school that met the standards was Deerfield High School.

For District 214, 30 percent of students scored below standards in reading, while 27 percent did so in science and 22 percent in math. According to the state report cards, those numbers have held steady for the last five years.

"We are seeing us close the gap in our DIPs (District Improvement Plans) and SIPs (Individual School Improvement Plans)," said Superintendent David Schuler. "We have to show we are making progress."